Radio apparatus



March 2& 1933. D F, ASBURY RADIO AiPARATUS Filed March 16. 1925@FJWFASBW,

Patented Mar. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES nonsmr r. ASBURY, on nnoomns rsnnm,MARYLAND RADIO APPARATUS Application filed March 16, 1926. Serial No.95,138.

M invention relates to radio apparatus, and as particular reference toimprovements in operating means for the turning units of receiving sets,whereby a plurality of tuning units, when connected together by a commonoperator for collective operation, and when operated collectively, maybe caused to tune simultaneously and accurately with difi'erent wave lenths, without the necessity of individually ad usting the units.

More particularly it is my present purpose to provide a Vernier tuningunit with means for moving the vernier portion thereof variably withrespect to movement of the main 5 portion thereof whereby the unit maybe caused to tune with different equally spaced wave lengths either byequal or unequal amounts of movement of the main portion thereof asdesired, and whereby a plurality o of such tuning units, when connectedtogether for collective operation, and when operated collectively, may,as aforesaid, be caused to tune simultaneously and accurately withdifferent wave lengths either by equal or unequal amounts of movement ofthe main portion of different units with respect to one another.

My improvements contemplates-the provision of a cam for transmittingmovement of the main portion of a Vernier tuning unit to the vernierportion thereof, and it is my purpose to provide means for adjustingsaid cam so that a 'ven amount of movement of the main portion of atuning unit may be caused to produce not only different, but variableamounts of movements of the Vernier portion of the unit; also it is mypurpose to provide means whereby the correctness of the adjustment ofthe cam of any unit to ac- 40 complish the purposes mentioned either inrespect to a single unit or a plurality of units connected forcollective operation may readily and easily be determined, all in asimple, cheap arrangement that is thoroughly reliable and eflicient inoperation.

My inventive idea is capable of embodiment in different mechanicalstructures, one

of which is shown in the accompanying drawing, but it is to beunderstood that the P structure shown is merely intended as a ea closureof the essential features and novel characteristics of my invention in apreferred form and that its scope is as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing, wherein like characters of W reference denotecorresponding parts in the different views Figure 1 is an elevationshowing an adaptation of my invention to each of a plurality of tuningunits connected together for collecc9 tive operation;

. Fig. 2, a plan view of the structural arrangement shown in Fig. l; I

Fig. 3, a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, a detail view of a portion of one of the cams; and

Fig. 5, a fragmentary perspective showing the construction of the camfollower and a portion of the yieldable means for holding same inengagement with the cam.

As the means constituting my present invention is intended primarily forcausing the Vernier portion of a tuning unit to be moved at differentvariable velocities during movement of the main portion of the tuningunit at a constant velocity, and as said means is not restricted in itsadaptation to any particular style, type or construction of tuning 30unit, the present disclosure, in which the tuning units are illustratedas vernier condensers, should not be construed as a limitation of therange of usefulness of my improvements in this respect.

A Vernier condenser of a type particularly adapted for operation by myimproved means consists, as'shoWn in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing, ofa frame 10, a main set of stator plates 11, a main set of movable plates12 and stator and movable auxiliary or Vernier plates 13 and 14,respectively. The main set of movable plates 11 are mounted on a hollowshaft 15, while the movable vernier plate or plates, as the case may be,is or are mounted on a shaft 16 which passes through shaft 15 and isrotatable therein, my invention consisting' in providing means wherebymovement of plates 12 at a constant velocity may be caused to producemovement of the vernier plate or plates 14= at difi'erent variablevelocities or in different directions whereby a straight line or anyother line frequency may be, obtained without particular regard 5 to theshape of either the main or Vernier plates and whereby a plurality ofcondensers,

when connected together for collective operation, and when operatedcollectively, may be caused to tune simultaneously and accurately withdifferent wave lengths.

- In adapting my improvements to a condenser of the type shown I secureto hollow shaft 15 a peripherally toothed disk or wheel 17 and through alaterally extending mar- 5 ginal flange 18 on said disk or wheel Ithread a plurality of screws 19, said screws preferably being evenlyspaced circumferentially of said flange and being disposed radially withrespect to shaft15 as shown. On shaft 16 I secure a short lever arm 20having a slot 21 therein which receives a pin 22 at the free end of alever arm 28, which lever arm is pivoted as at 24: to some fixedsupport, such for example, as a panel board 25 upon which condenser 10is mounted. To lever arm 23 I secure one end of a spring blade 26 whichblade extends across a portion of the flanged face of disk or wheel 17and carries at its free end a cam follower 27 and a hand grip knob 28Cam follower 27 is slotted as at 29to receive an edge portion of a cammember 30 which is adjustably mounted on disk or wheel 17 by means ofthe aforementioned screws 19, the result being that when said disk orwheel is rotated to rotate the main condenser plates 12, cam 30 isrotated and as a consequence arm 20 is swung because of its connectionthrough arms 23, 26 with said cam to rotate the movable vernier blade orblades variably with respect to the main blades according to the shapeof said cam.

Cam 30 is formed from a thin strip of inherently resilient materialhaving a slot 31 at each end thereof to receive reduced portions at theinner ends of the two terminal screws 19 so that when it is flexed andsprung into engagement with the screws 19 it is maintained under abending movement in engagedue to its flexure, always is to spring out-Ward it is merely necessary that the screws 19 contact with the outerface thereof without necessarily having positive connection therewith inorder that it may be adjusted to and maintained in any shape desired, itbeing obvious that by adjusting the screws 19 different portions of thecam strip may be adjusted with respect to one-another to cause anydesired amount of movement .of the vernier plate or plates 14 to beproduced during any predetermined amount of movement of the main. plates12.

A. small flange 32 is formed along one edge ment with said screws, andsince its tendency,

of cam strip 30 for engagement by the inner ends of the screws 19 toprevent said cam strip from springing outward with respect to disk orwheel 17, the said flanged edge of said strip contacting with the outerface of said disk or wheel whereby it is held against lateral movementin an opposite direction.

Any desired plurality of tuning units as just describedmay be connectedtogether for collective operation in any preferred manner, a rack 33being shown in the present instance cooperating with the peripheralteeth of the disks or wheels 17 of a plurality of condensers foraccomplishing this purpose, and thus it is apparent that by properly adjusting the cam strips 30 of each unit the vernier plates of therespective units may be caused to be moved the exact amount requiredduring collective operation of the main plates of the units by rack 33to cause all units to tune simultaneously and accurately with any wavelength encountered by any unit during collective operation of the units.Spring blade 26 provides means whereby the cam follower 27 of any unitmay at any time be disengaged from its related cam strip 30 to permitmovement of the Vernier portion of any unit independently of the maintuning portion of the units so as to indicate in which direction it isnecessary to adjust cam strip 30 as well as the amount of adjustmentnecessary to be imparted thereto, and whereby the accuracy of theadjustment of any particular cam to accomplish the purposes mentionedmay readily and easily bedetermined it being necessary merely to pullknob 28 to flex spring arm 26 outward to disengage cam follower 27 fromcam 30. v bviously the Vernier portion of a vernier tuning unit need notbe mounted on a shaft that extends through a hollow shaft carrying themain'movable portion of the unit in order that said main and Vernierportions may be operated variably by ,the means constituting myinvention, since it is apparent that the Vernier portion of the unitmight. as readily be mounted for example on the pivot 1pin 24 of arm 23or to any other of the parts t at is operated by cam 30.

From" the foregoing description considered in connection with theaccompanying drawing, it is believed that the construction, operationand advantages of my improvements will be fully understood. I desire topoint out, however, that various changes and desirable additions may bemade in and to the structural arrangement shown within the spirit andscope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In mechanism of the class described consisting of a plurality ofinstrumentalities in cooperative relation and adapted to be adjustedfrom a singlepoint of control, a main rotatable controlling elementadapted to 1mpart movement in equal degree to each of saidinstrumentalities rotatable members com-. prised in each of saidinstrumentalities and. connected with said main controlling element andadapted to be rotated in equal degree by movement imparted therefrom,complementary elements cooperating with said rotatable elements andconnections therefor, said connections comprising in each instance anindividually adjustable cam track and a member cooperating therewith andadapted to impart independent compensatory movements to thecomplementary elements in an amount variably determined by theconfiguration of the cam track, substantially as described.

2. In mechanism of the class described consisting of a plurality ofinstrumentalities in cooperative relation and adapted to be 2 adjustedfrom a single point of control, a main rotatable controlling elementadapted to impart movement in equal degree to each of saidinstrumentalities, rotatable members comprised in each of saidinstrumentalities and connected with said main controlling element andadapted to be rotated in equal degree by movement imparted therefrom,complementary elements cooperating with said rotatable elements andconnections therefor,

said connections comprising in each instance an individually adjustablecam track and a member cooperating therewith and adapted to impartindependent compensatory movements to the complementary elements in anamount variably determined by the configuration of the cam track, saidcams being rotated with the main rotatable controlling element,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

DORSEY F. ASBURY.

